A RARE ARCHAISTIC CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE 'PHOENIX' SQUARE VASE, FANG GU

Yongzheng/Qianlong

Yongzheng/Qianlong
The central part enamelled on each face with an archaistic taotie mask separated by flanges down the centre and at the edges, the upper flaring section similarly enamelled with pairs of archaistic phoenix with pink heads and stylised green scrolling tails also separated by flanges, the spreading base with pendent plantain leaves.
33cm (13in) high.

Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價

清雍正/乾隆 銅胎掐絲琺瑯仿古饕餮紋出戟方觚

Provenance: Sotheby's Paris, 23 June 2016, lot 84

來源：巴黎蘇富比，2016年6月23日，拍品編號84

This cloisonné fang gu is exceptional for its refined and rare predominant design of double phoenix on each side, above triple bands of taotie masks and plantain leaves. For another example with a primary phoenix motif; see a cloisonné enamel incense burner, ding, Qianlong mark and period, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels 2, Beijing, 2011, pl.201. Compare also a related but less refined and smaller cloisonné enamel fang gu, with phoenix on the neck and foot and taotie masks around the centre, 17th/18th century, illustrated by Sir H.Garner, Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels, London, 1962, pl.52.

The form and design of the present lot are in line with the Qianlong emperor's wishes for craftsmen to take inspiration from antiquity, in order to 'restore the ancient ways', reinstating the intrinsic qualities of simplicity, sincerity and happy exuberance of the ancient cultures. For this purpose the emperor instructed the Court to collect drawings of antiquities, such as the 'Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities' (Xi Qing Gu Jian 西清古鑑), which served as sources of designs for the production of vessels. Compare three related archaistic cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze vases, fang gu, Qianlong mark and of the period, illustrated in ibid., pls.143, 146-147.

A related cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze vase, gu, Qianlong mark and of the period, was sold at Christie's Paris, 7 June 2011, lot 208.